Door latch for modular cabinet



Nov. 24, 1964 L. J. FAY

nooR LATCH FOR MODULAR CABINET 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 30, 1961 l l l l INVENTOR nf/@f/vaf 1 54)/ f ATTORNEYS Nov. 24, 1964 J. FAY

DOOR LATCH FOR MODULAR CABINET 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed 0G11. 30, 1961 Nov. 24, 1964 L. J. FAY 3,158,016

DooR LATCH FOR MODULAR CABINET Filed Oct. 50, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 ze 'i BY w *f/ Mc? WW [l/MQ@ ATTO 1 EYS United States Patent C 3,158,616 Dimi- LATCH FR MQDULAR CANNET? Lawrence J. Fay, Eight, Ill., assigner to Etgnipto Eier:-

tronics Corporation, Naperville, lll., a corporation of iiinois Filed (let. Sti, 196i, Ser. N 148,618 lainis. (Cl. 713-82) The present invention relates generally to a locker cabinet and more particularly to a door handle and latching mechanism.

The present invention is concerned with a new and improved latching mechanism presently illustrated for use with a door which is adapted to lie flush with a forward wall of a locker cabinet.

An important object of this invention is to provide a new and improved latching mechanism which may be economically manufactured with a minimum of parts.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a latching mechanism including a plurality of latch bars and latch means or a rockable latch plate for simultaneously operating the latch bars.

Still another important object of this invention is to provide a new and improved lift type handle structure having a vertically moving latch plate actuator for operating a latching mechanism such as the disclosed type having a plurality of latch bars.

According to the general features of this invention there is provided a locker cabinet including a cabinet door having a movable handle mounted thereon, a latch plate fulcrumed on the door, superimposed latch bars mounted on the latch plate and having spaced diagonally offset pivots joining the latch bars with the latch plate generally on one side of the fulcrum, said latch bars being connected with latch and keeper mechanisms, and with said latch plate being connected to said handle on another side of the fulcrum, the handle being movable to rock said latch plate on its fulcrum and to cause said latch bars to operate said latch and keeper mechanisms.

According to still other features of this invention, a handle structure is provided which handle structure includes a pivotally mounted handle having a pin extending rearwardly of the handle and movable in an up and down direction with the pivoting of the handle, and a key operated lock including a pin latch which pin latch is swingable into and out of locking engagement with said pin upon operation of the key lock.

Other features of this invention relate to a latching mechanism including a handle housing, a lift type handle pivotally joined between its opposite ends at its sides with the housing, one handle end of the handle disposed within the confines of the housing and with an opposite handle end disposed outside of the housing for free pivoting movement with respect to the housing, the one handle end having a rearwardly projecting latch plate actuator movable in an up and down direction with respect lto the handle for actuating a latch bar.

Other objects and features of this invention will more fully become apparent in view of the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings illustrating a single embodiment and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective View of a locker cabinet;

FIGURE 2 is a rear elevation of a locker cabinet door;

FIGURE 3 is an edge view of the locker cabinet door shown in FIGURE 2 only with parts broken away revealing details of a latching mechanism;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary rear elevation of the door and illustrating in full and dotted lines the operation of the latching mechanism;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary partially sectioned side elevation of a handle assembly including a lift type door handle, the section being taken substan- 3,l58,0l6 Patented Nov. 24., 1964 ICC tially on the line V-V looking in the direction indicated by the arrows, as shown in FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view taken substantially on the line VI-VI looking in the direction indicated by the arrows, as shown in FIG- URE 4;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view;

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged fragmentary rear elevation of the door showing the latch bar and latch keeper in a closed position, similar to FIGURE 7; and

FIGURES 9, l0 and 11 are identical to FIGURES 4, 5 and 6 except that a modified type of latching mechanism is illustrated.

As shown on the drawings:

The reference numeral l@ indicates generally a locker cabinet having a locker door 11 mounted by means of hinges l2 thereon. Thedoor il is illustrated as being comprised of sheet metal piece having rolled margins i3. One of the rolled margins l is provided with a latching mechanism indicated generally at lid.

The latching mechanism 14 includes a handle assembly l5 as best seen in FGURE 5. The handle assembly l5 includes a handle housing 16 and a lift type handle i7 is pivotally joined between its opposite ends at its sides with the housing lo by means of theV handle pivot pin 18. The housing id includes a housing recess i9 and a handle end 17a is disposed therein. An opposite handle end 17b lies outside of the contines of the housing recess for free pivoting movement on pivot i8 for actuating a latch plate actuator or pin 2li secured to the upper handle end 17a. The pin 2 9 extends rearwardly in the housing recess i9 through door panel opening lla on door panel 11b. The housing I6 is funther provided with a handle rest or stop 2l and the handle has a shoulder 22 movable into and out of engagement with respect to the rest or housing stop 2l.

The housing le has a key lock slot and a cylinder type key lock of any suitable type such as indicated at 23 is secured therein. The key lock includes a lock latch` 24 which is swingable into and out of locking engagement with the pin or latch plate actuator 2t) for controlling the operation of the handle. When the lock latch is secured with the pin, the handle may not be pivoted on its pivot 18 for it is locked in position in bottomed engagement against the housing stop Z2.

The handle housing may be readily secured to the door panel 1lb by means of metal screws 25 which are threaded through the door panel lib into the housing 1.6

from the rear side ofthe door 11.

The latching mechanism 14 further includes a T-shaped latch plate or latch means 26 disposed at the rear side of the door panel lib. The latch plate 26 is fulcrumed or pivoted on a fulcrum or pivot comprising a latch pivot pin 27 having a pivot pin plate 27a which is'spot-welded or otherwise suitably secured to the door panel lib, as indicated at 28 in FIGURE 4.

The T-shaped latch plate further includes stem and crosspiece portions 25a and 26h which are disposed generally at right angles with respect to one another. The stem portion 2da bears the latch plate pivot which pivot is disposed vertically of and disposed at one side of the latch plate actuator or pin 2.4i. It will be noted that the latch plate and more particularly the stem portion 26a hasl a notch or recess 26e and that the pin 2t) is secured therein. As the pin Ztl is moved up and down by the operation of the handle 17, the latch plate 26 is caused to rock on its pivot 27.

An opposite end of the latch plate and more particularly the crosspiece portion 26h is secured with a pair of vertically disposed latch bars 23-28. To this end,

said pin and latch plate to disengage said latch har from said keeper means, said latch bar means comprising a latch bar, said latch plate having a slotted end, a latch bar pivot pin secured to the latch bar between its ends and with said slotted end embracing said pivot pin, and' a key operated lock having means for engaging said pin to prevent actuation of said handle.

5. A latching mechanism for a locker cabinet door comprising a handle assembly including a handle pivoted intermediate its ends, a pin disposed on one end of said handle, a latch plate pivoted on an axis extending in a direction at right angles to the direction in Which the axis of the handle pivot extends, said pin interconnected with said latch plate on one side of the latch plate pivot, a latch bar means pivotally connected to said latch plate on the opposite side of said latch plate pivot, keepers with said latch har engage, said handle upon being rocked on its pivot operating toy move said pin and latch plate to disengage said latch bar from said keepers, latch bar means extending through guide legs on said guides, said latch bar means having latches movable with respect to said legs and the keepers each disposable between said guide legs on an associated one of said guides and engaged by one or" Isaid latches upon latching, said latch plate upon being rocked on its pivot through actuation of said handle causing said latch har means to he moved for disengaging said latches from said keepers.

References Cited hy the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 481,597 8/92 Sorensen 70-150 '552,747 10/97 Strout 292-40 856,214 6/07 Berger 292-173 2,021,827 ll/35 Benson 70-146 2,844,953 7/58 Hilgren 70--146 2,910,857 1l/59 Muessel 70-92 guides secured to the door panel and with said latch bar 20 ALBERT H. KAMPE, Primary Examiner. 

5. A LATCHING MECHANISM FOR A LOCKER CABINET DOOR COMPRISING A HANDLE ASSEMBLY INCLUDING A HANDLE PIVOTED INTERMEDIATE ITS ENDS, A PIN DISPOSED ON ONE END OF SAID HANDLE, A LATCH PLATE PIVOTED ON AN AXIS EXTENDING IN A DIRECTION AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THE DIRECTION IN WHICH THE AXIS OF THE HANDLE PIVOT EXTENDS, SAID PIN INTERCONNECTED WITH SAID LATCH PLATE ON ONE SIDE OF THE LATCH PLATE PIVOT, A LATCH BAR MEANS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO SAID LATCH PLATE ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF SAID LATCH PLATE PIVOT, KEEPERS WITH SAID LATCH BAR ENGAGE, SAID HANDLE UPON BEING ROCKED ON ITS PIVOT OPERATING TO MOVE SAID PIN AND LATCH PLATE TO DISENGAGE SAID LATCH BAR FROM SAID KEEPERS, LATCH BAR GUIDES SECURED TO THE DOOR PANEL AND WITH SAID LATCH BAR MEANS EXTENDING THROUGH GUIDE LEGS ON SAID GUIDES, SAID LATCH BAR MEANS HAVING LATCHES MOVABLE WITH RESPECT TO SAID LEGS AND THE KEEPERS EACH DISPOSABLE BETWEEN SAID GUIDE LEGS ON AN ASSOCIATED ONE OF SAID GUIDES AND ENGAGED BY ONE OF SAID LATCHES UPON LATCHING, SAID LATCH PLATE UPON BEING ROCKED ON ITS PIVOT THROUGH ACTUATION OF SAID HANDLE CAUSING SAID LATCH BAR MEANS TO BE MOVED FOR DISENGAGING SAID LATCHES FROM SAID KEEPERS. 